Coupling device.



Asumir. EDWARD sc oUTEnA or RIDING MoUNTAiN, CANADA. y 'czolJ|'=LlN'c`a. DEVICE.

speeliacatia of Letters Patent.

Patented March l2"'7,

. To a/ZZ Iwiz/ml t may concern:

Y Be it known that I, AsAHEL EDWARDy SooUTEN, a subject oftheKing of England, residing at Riding Mountain, in the Province of Manitoba, Canada, have invented certain -new and useful Improvements in Coupling Devices;and I do herebyy declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to -make and use the same.

- My invention relates to coupling devices, and particularly that class of coupling devices adapted for attaching agricultural implements -to 4traction-engines.

The :object of my invention is to provide a vcouplingwhich may be releasedwhen the full draft of the engine is being exerted against the coupling without the necessity of revers` ing the engine; and my invention consists of the construction, combination, and arrangelment Yof parts as hereinillustrated and de- 3' broken away. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, and Fig. 4 is ka fragmentary detail in perspective scribed. v

In the Vaccompanying idrawings, forming a part of this application, I haveillustrated one embodiment of myinventiomin which drawings similar reference characters vdesignate corresponding parts, and in wbich- Figure 1 is a top plan. Fig. 2 isa topplan with part of the casing `hereinafter ydescribed illustra-ting a toggle used in my invention.

Referring to the drawings, -5 designates the Adraft bar 'or pole of any common agricultural implement, on theupper `and lowerfaces of which are secured thepl'ates "6,6, forming a 'casing which Aprojects beyond the forward end of the part 5, and which vcasing is provided with a central slot 7 at its` eXtreme forward end. Disposed within the casing described, adjacent its outer end, lare a pair of elliptical jaws 8, having their 'outer ends ap` proXimately square, as at 9, and having a pin or bolt 10 passed therethrough at a central point, whereby the jaws are pivotally connected to said casing.

Disposed intermediate of the rear ends of the jaws 8 is a toggle comprising the members 1 1, provided with the integral shoulders 11a. These members 11 arepivotally connected to the rear ends of the jaws 8 in any suitable way, as by the pivot-pins 12, connecting the outer ends of said members 11 to said jaws. The inner ends of the members 11 are pivotally joined together by the bent outerend 14 of a rod `15, which rod is 'carried in a plurality of brackets 16 16 16, secured to the upper face of the casing 6,1fandwhic`his provided with a shoulder 17 adjacent.thev

secured to the draft member -5 or to the ca'sing 6 a bracket 19, on-which is supported a bell-crank lever 20,one end of which is adapted to contact with the cam=lug 18 when- 'the jaws are closed and-the other end of adapted to rest on the stop 21, carried on the draft member 5,when the jaws are in yopen position. i The forward end ofthe draft member 55 is preferably beveled Eand is provided withstep Y members 22., against which the stop members f 23 on the rear part of the jaws 8 are adapted .tocontact Thejsides of theforward end ofthe draft member 5 -are provided with the spring members 24, adapted to contact'againstthe stop members 23 on the side opposite ,to the stop members l22. l

In the operation of my invention, assuming that a traction-engine is attached te the link 25 (shown in outline in Figand, is

moving toward the lefte-hand'iside ef fthe drawings, in order to release the ylink 25 the rightehand end of the 1ever-20is depressed.

This movement `causes its opposite-end It-'o contact with vthe Ycam-lug 18, which 'carries the right-hand end of the rod 1-5 downward, so that theshoulder 17 becomes Adisengaged from the opening in the bra-ckeaand atv the same time this movement of the leve`r ycare-v riesthe rodforwardo'r toward the lefthand. This ,forward movement ofthe rod 1-1'5 actuates the members 11 :of the toggle to the `positionsh'own in Fig. 2, carrying' thev outer .ends of the jaws 8 apart, so that-thelink :2'5v may be readily withdrawn. Inthis opera"- 'ti'on .of uncoupling, the spring lmembers 1214,

bearing on the stop members 23, securedon the jaws, help to overcome the dead-center of lOO the toggle. As the uncoupling operation is completed the stop members 23 on the jaws 8 contact against the rigid stop members 22, carried by the draft member 5, and prevent the outward movement of the jaws to a point where they would cause the rod 15 to jam against the brackets 16. The reverse of the uncoupling operation is accomplished by inserting the link between the jaws 8 and retracting the rod 15 until the arts assume the position shown in Figs. 1 an 3 when the members 11 of the toggle are past their central pivotal point and will exert an outward pressure on the inner ends of the jaws 8, so that the outer ends 9 are brought into con- 5 tact. Tension exerted by draft on the link 25 will then-tend to bring said outer ends close together. After the link 25 has been inserted and the rod 15 partly retracted the tension of the spring members 24 may be [o `overcome by backing the engine or other Having thus fully described my invention,

` zwhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

25" 1. The combination comprising a draftkbar, a casingon the draft-bar, a pair of oppositely-disposed jaws pivoted to the cas- E cing-'gva toggle pivoted to the jaws and coni structedtoactuate said jaws and l'ock them 3o jin. apre'determined position, means for lockviingthe toggle, and means for unlocking the toggle.

' The combination comprising a draft- -bar,' a casing on the draft-bar, a pair of oppositely -ldisposed jaws pivoted to the cas- -ing, me'ansV pivoted to the jaws and constructed-to actuate the jaws and lock them in a predetermined position, a rod connected y to'fsaid. means, a plurality of brackets secured 4o to the casing Iand adapted to support said Vrod, the said rod being provided with a shoulder adapted to engage one of said brackets, whereby the rod is locked in position, and means for unlocking the rod.

3. The `combination comprising a draftbar, `a casing on the draft-bar, a pair of oppositely-disposed jaws pivoted to the casing, means pivoted to the jaws and constructed to actuate and lock said jaws in a 5o`pred'etermined position, a rod connected at none end with said means and provided at its 'opposite end with a cam-lug, means for locking the rod in a predetermined position, a lever pivoted to the draft-barv and adapted to engage said cam-lug and release said rod from its locked position.

4. The combination comprising a draftbar, a casing on the draft-bar, a pair of oppositely-disposed jaws pivoted to the casing, resilient means for actuating and locking said jaws, means tending to keep said jaws open, means for locking said actuating means, and means for unlocking said actuating means.

5. The combination comprising a draftbar, a casing on the draft-bar, a pair of oppositely-disposed jaws pivoted to the casing, means for actuating and locking said jaws, springs tending to keep said jaws open, means for locking said actuating means and means for unlocking said actuating means.

6. The combination comprising a draftbar, a casing secured thereon, a pair of oppositely-disposed jaws pivoted to the casing, means for actuating and locking said jaws, a projection on each of the jaws, a spring secured on each side of the draft-bar and constructed to contact with said projections, means for locking the actuating means, and means for unlocking the actuating means.

7. The combination comprising a draftbar, a casing on the draft-bar, a pair of oppositely-disposed jaws pivoted to the casing, means for actuating and locking the jaws, means for limiting the movement of the jaws in one direction, resilient means tending to force said jaws in an opposite direction, and means for locking and unlocking the actuating means.

8. The combination comprising a draftbar, a casing on the draft-bar, a pair of oppositely-disposed jaws pivoted to the casing, means for actuating and locking the jaws, means for locking and unlocking the actuating means, and means for limiting the movement of the jaws in one direction, comprisin(T a plurality of stops on the draft means and a lstop on each of the jaws.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

ASAHEL EDWARD SCOUTEN.

Witnesses:

Jol-IN WEMYss, M. KERR-MAGKAY. 

